Love

As much time as I spent with Rowdy, and how intimately we understood each other, some of his characteristics were still a mystery.

He was always a happy boy around us but in public settings he had a different personality.

His usual bright-eyed and bushy-tailed personality switched to careful and observant.

He wouldn’t acknowledge strangers or play with other dogs.

However, there was an occasion.

We had family that lived only five minutes from our house, and Rowdy grew up around them and their dog.

Their dog, Kyra, was the only dog I’ve ever witnessed Rowdy play with.

Every time we visited we brought Rowdy along, and as we pulled up to Kyra’s house, Rowdy’s senses started tingling and he started shining as bright as when he’d greet us at the door.

I used to ponder how strange my dog is, but I think I now understand the significance of his weird social behavior.

Rowdy kept his circle narrow and deep.

He loved very few but he loved enormously.

I could actually see the light in his eyes the second Kyra entered his peripheral.

We’d come home after hours of playing and he’d make his way to my bed and fall into a deep sleep with a smile on his face.

Many may argue that dogs aren’t capable of love, affection empathy and compassion, but the way Rowdy acted around Kyra gives me no doubt in my mind that they are.

When it was dessert time, Rowdy would watch Kyra and wait for her to receive her treat before tentatively asking for his.

After they’d play aggressively, he’d lay with her for even longer to lick wounds and make sure she was okay.

He honestly put her happiness before his and he’s a dog.

He had a very small circle made of family and close friends, but I think it was a conscious effort that gave him more happiness than a wide social network that lacked intimacy.

Rowdy, the master teacher, left me with yet another lesson.

Growing up with the Internet and social media in my fingers, I was a part of the first wave and experienced the effects first hand.

It made it easy to connect with mass amounts of people, but there’s something lacking in the quality of the relationships.

I had less face-to-face communication than the generation before me, I stayed inside more leading to lack of interpersonal skills, and I thought I had to match the lifestyle of everything I witnessed through the different mediums.

Fear of mass information systems has been a problem since the printing press was unleashed. However, we soon learned to adjust, similar to how we need to adjust to our modern technology.

Our mini computers are simply tools, but we treat them as much more. The modern American spends close to the same amount of time sleeping as on our phones and other devices.

Rowdy lived with the lesson of ignoring the trends of social media, keeping relationships narrow and deep, and putting our phones down from time to time and spending quality time with those in our circle.

As we evolve, our backs will hunch, our attention span will decrease along with our team skills, and our muscles will atrophy if we become more and more dependent on technology and don’t learn to live in harmony with it as a tool.

The industrial revolution administered intense changes within society and culture, and perhaps our advancements in the web and coming AI will direct further changes.

Recognizing that life resides outside of our digital networks could be the answer to any negative externalities that may follow a potential technological revolution.

Live like Rowdy and keep your relationships deep, authentic and love as much as possible and you’ll sleep at night with a smile.

CHANGE

Owning a big dog was definitely a unique experience, mostly because as I grew, he continued to grow with me.

We started as pups, turned into adolescents, and developed along a similar timeline with our physical features and understanding of our worlds.

He was always a big dog, but even as he grew to his largest size, the way we would hang out and play together never changed.

Though sometimes it got a little too rough and someone ended up hurt (me).

When I started college, I noticed that despite his size, his muscle strength started to fade and he didn't express the same youthful exuberance that I'll always remember.

Every time I'd visit home I noticed more grey around his chin and belly (eventually forming into his unique patches that sparked his following.)

His movements would slow and he had more difficulty standing. After two years of observing the process of him growing old, he passed.

This was a big change, as for a majority of my life, having Rowdy was a constant I could rely on.

Change is scary. Whether it’s death, change in environment, walking through new doors or closing old ones, facing the unknown is a task that’s impossible to be fully equipped for.

The only way to really prepare is approaching the future with an understanding that there will be an adjustment to a new norm, and sooner or later you’ll find the same happiness that was once there.

Change is a challenge that is thrown into every life, and some people experience heavy changes at such a young age that may (very unfairly) flip their entire world around, but in the end it creates a stronger person.

Everyone is in different points in our lives, as change and experience is thrown at us at different rates and with different intensity, but no matter where you’re at, you aren’t alone.

Somebody is going through the same exact change as you somewhere.

I believe that wisdom and genuine happiness follow experience and change, so as tough as your change may be at the time, you’ll be a stronger and more experienced person at the end of it.

Staying focused on the big picture, connecting with close friends, and appreciating the beautiful struggle that comes with life is the best remedy for big change that throws us in a funk.

Until next time ;-)

- White Eyed Rowdy

P.S.

Someone reached out to us and asked for a tip for big dog owners, which sparked the idea for this post and I thought we’d include the answer, as I think the themes correlate.

The best tip I have for dog owners, in regard to keeping their dogs happy, is to let them capitalize on youthful energy.

It may not seem like, and at the time we may even get a little annoyed, but our dogs' energy do fade, and we end up missing the craziness that was once irritating.

So when your big dog wants to go on a walk, chase a tennis ball, or play, it may be a little annoying, but remember that the energy will soon leave him.

One day you'll miss the constant enthusiasm, as I do to this day, so offering thirty minutes of your day to get up and play with him will pay off in the long run, I promise.

White Eyed Rowdy – A Guide Through Hard Times

We all go through our own struggles, some worse than others, but everybody deals with internal battles that are only understood by them.

We also have our own ways of dealing with these problems and balancing the dark cave that we occasionally sink into yet never talk about.

I’m twenty years old, yet every day I stress about what I’m going to do in life.

I play basketball right now, but for some reason all I can ever think about is what I’m going to do afterwards.

It’s always been like that for me, and I’ve always had a guide to lean on for comfort.

That was Rowdy.

In middle school I’d follow people I wanted to be like on social media.

Mostly being basketball players, I saw how they could run the court in five steps, spring into the air and glide almost in slow motion for a dunk.

I saw hand-eyed coordination and shooting mechanics that represented a decade of practice.

I saw passing ability that was bred from a natural wiring of the brain that’s extremely hard to imitate.

Yet I wanted to be everything I watched.

I was a five-foot nine, unathletic kid that watched these people every day and developed a delusional mindset that I could be that.

I was a foot smaller, it took me twenty steps to run the court and my hand-eyed coordination was undeveloped.

Yet, I still thought I could be them.

When I moved onto high school, I didn’t make the varsity team and this was a huge blow as it was all I really cared about.

I went home, ignored my parents out of insecurity and went straight to my dog.

No words were needed; he just looked me in the eyes, let me pet him and threw in a couple of licks.

His comfort became routine.

When I was stressed, worrying about what I didn’t have, we’d make our way to the yard.

He had this toy he’d salivate over called the chuck-it, and he was obsessed with it ever since a puppy.

It was a curved device that contained a pocket at the tip that held a tennis ball.

We’d spend an entire hour of one-on-one interaction playing together.

I’d throw it thirty yards through the grass, he’d take off as fast as he could in pursuit and his momentum would send him in summersaults as he overran his target.

Once he recovered, he’d retrieve the ball, sprint right back to me, drop it at my feet and prepare to do it again and again.

I’d sit there watching his unwavering attention on that green ball in awe, wondering how his eyes were locked on one target for a solid hour.

He wouldn’t stop until his lungs and legs physically couldn’t take any more.

He’d slump his body in the shade of our tree and lay there panting aggressively for another hour.

This was a moment of clarity for me, as I felt a wordless connection through my dog and forgot about my unimportant worries of the world.

Whether it’s sports, our animals, friends or hobbies we all have our own outlets to relax and forget.

I believe social media and the Internet is the tool many use to forget, regardless of the negative externalities that follow.

We get inside scoops of the lives of people we want to be like.

We start to ponder what we need to do to be like that person because they have life “all figured out” and they’re “happy.”

We stress and our imagination runs wild thinking about what we need to do to get there.

We think we need to get there in a day even though it takes years and decades of patience.

These small devices are simply tools, but we abuse them and they become our life.

They’re developing an ADHD culture addicted to the shot of dopamine that a like on Instagram offers.

I often find myself mindlessly navigating from app to app doing absolutely nothing.

Or a video pops up with an interesting headline that I spend half an hour watching instead of reading a book or doing my homework.

What the answer to these problems are, I’m not sure.

All I know is that they’re changing how I think and increasing my anxiety.

It’s strange…

When I put my phone away for a day…

Play basketball for the love of basketball…

And forgot about all the stresses that social media and the Internet bring…

I find myself a lot happier.

Even though I don’t have Rowdy anymore, he stays with me as a reminder to find the same feeling we’d share in the yard with the chuck it in another activity like basketball.

Rowdy is continuing to keep me confident and comfortable with who I am by keeping me away from social media and focus my attention on what gives me the same feeling he used to provide.

- White Eyed Rowdy

P.S. Next Friday we'll be having a give away through the White Eyed Rowdy Newsletter. We have Rowdy paintings created by talented fans and a variety of White Eyed Rowdy gear for you the winner to choose from.

You'll also receive his first near death experience story when you sign up.

To the Dog We Thought We'd Have Forever

If you grew up with a dog, you understand the irrational thought that he / she would live forever.

You went through so many stages of life with a companion that shared everything with you.

Your first Christmas.

Your first kiss.

Your first car

First day of high school.

Last day of high school.

Going to college.

Then one day you wake up and realize how far you’ve gone in life and it seems like yesterday your dog was still a puppy sleeping next to you in bed.

It’s a scary feeling.

Feeling like life is slipping through your fingers one phase at a time, and you can’t quite grab it and enjoy it in the moment.

One day you’re a kid playing with your dog outside…

Then one day you’re in college and you get a call saying your best friend for fifteen years past away…

Then one day your kids are leaving you for college.

It makes my mind go crazy thinking about the past and getting depressive.

That I should’ve enjoyed something a little bit more, I wasn’t appreciative enough of somebody, or I should’ve done something different.

Then I’ll start thinking about the future and get anxiety wondering what I need to do better to plan a life checklist that will lead to success and happiness.

However, when I think about my dog, it reminds me to stay in the present.

I need to take more moments of looking around and feeling grateful for what’s around me because one day you’ll wake up and realize how much things have changed, with only your memory to look back on.

If there’s something special in your life, take a second to really engrain it into your memory.

Regret is one of the worst feelings, especially when it’s regarding something you can’t fix.

I thought my dog would live forever, and I feel like I didn’t take enough time to really look at him and appreciate everything.

Now that he’s gone, I have a lot of happy memories to look to for comfort, but I still feel as if I should’ve done more.

Life can seem fleeting, but if I think if I slow down my thinking and really focus on what I have around me in this present moment, it wont change how fast life goes but it will make it seem not as bad.

It provides a nostalgic feeling of happiness.

Not all of life’s most fulfilling ones are ecstatic and happy.

I think to get the most out of life you need to experience a regretful sadness, as it’ll show you how valuable the little things are.

I thought I’d have my dog forever, but I’m lucky to have learned so much from him.

I learned how to connect with something.

What real relationships feel like, so I can better maneuver through the smoke and mirrors that come along.

I felt a sense of security knowing that there was somebody looking forward to see me every single day.

I learned companionship walking through my small town and seeing him look back every five steps to make sure I was still there.

I thought my dog would live forever, but looking back I’m kind of glad he didn’t.

That sounds terrible but keeping a dog forever would be a cop out.

Growing up with a dog is a priceless life lesson.

If you’re a parent thinking about getting your children a puppy. Do it.

Your child will learn a ton and feel the rollercoaster of growing with something then losing it, teaching appreciation.

I feel like I don’t express my appreciation enough, but I think my dog taught me a lesson while I’m young that’s hard to learn, and that’s to be present in the moment and be grateful for what you have.

You guys, Rowdy’s amazing fans, helped fund several other events bringing kids with Vitiligo into one room and helping show each other their beauty by having fun and spreading smiles.

Rowdy was just a small piece of a gigantic paranormal puzzle made of people like Carter, Ava, anonymous donors, Sit! Stay! Photography, our Go-Fund-Me manager and our superfans that continue to follow Rowdy because of the unique connection they share.

There have been too many generous hands that created change in the world through Rowdy and it’s impossible to name them all, so if we didn’t mention you, we thank you.

Rowdy promises to pay the generosity forward.

The Need For Conversation

A lot of why Rowdy has spread so much is because of word of mouth.

An idea trickles around the world through casual conversations by you, the Rowdy fan who’s reading this right now.

Whether it’s a technological innovation such as the iPhone, a medical innovation like the MRI, a revolutionary innovation like our declaration of independence, or awareness of social issues, the diffusion of ideas starts through the mouths of you.

Rowdy has been the reason for conversation that helped increase awareness of Vitiligo, and he’s continuing his mission to try and increase confidence and comfort.

Today, we have a fear of talking about the issues that matter.

With the largest shooting in U.S. history recently occurring in Las Vegas, it’s easy to feel empathy for the families hurt, but how crazy is it that we can’t live in comfort knowing that an event of that magnitude can happen in the blink of an eye.

Yet we read it on the news, feel a sense of fear and sorrow, and then go about our day.

We may mention it to co-workers or friends, but it’s a quick mention that leads to an awkward ambiance quickly followed by small talk.

So how does change really occur?

We’re stuck in an in between phase of understanding what’s wrong with our society but lack an understanding of how to fix it.

We live in a system of different backgrounds, worldviews, and appearances.

People who hunt for sport and people who despise guns.

People who love the environment and people who think economy is most important.

With so many different approaches to our world and the problems that come with it how does a community find balance?

We think it’s through the same conversation that caused Rowdy’s story to spread as much as it has.

Ever since the People’s Republic of China instituted heavy gun control laws, you can notice a major difference in the rates of murder compared to the United States.

America is rated NUMBER ONE IN THE WORLD in violent gun crime and China is ranked ninety-seventh.

Purchasing a gun in China is far more difficult and requires multiple background checks, and punishment regarding gun law is far more severe.

There’s a specific reason for the difference in these numbers.

America is founded on independence and fear of “Big Brother,” or heavy governmental influence, so many people have understandably inherited pride for their right to bear arms.

No matter what background you come from, are fully automatic weapons necessary in the society we live in?

Whether they’re necessary or not, White Eyed Rowdy thinks it’s important to think about events such as the Las Vegas shooting, what may have caused the events, then talk about it.

Sure, maybe heavier gun regulation won’t completely solve the problem and people will still find out how to get an automatic gun one way or another, but do you think it would cut the numbers down?

Conversation leads to formulation of opinions and perhaps understanding.

Understanding leads to change in behavior and maybe people can feel more confident and comfortable in going about their day.

Have confidence in your opinion, open-mindedly share it, and help build a world that you can comfortably wake up and live in without fear or hatred.

Conclusion

That’s all for today, but we have a quick announcement for you.

Many of you have been requesting stories about Rowdy’s many near death experiences.

If you haven’t heard yet, his first near death experience is being shared today through his newsletter.

If you weren’t able to sign up last week, now is your last chance here:

Where Does Rowdy’s Confidence and Comfort Come From?

However, these characteristics aren’t simply a catch phrase cultivated through attention gained in the media, they derive from something real.

To you passionate fans reading this right now, Rowdy has reached you in a unique way.

He’s just as much your dog as he is ours.

However, “White Eyed Rowdy” still may seem like a story or comic book since much of what you hear from him comes through occasional posts or stories, rather than experiencing it in real life or through a chronological movie/book that would really encapsulate his story/meaning.

With the understanding that you connect with him in an emotional way, we try and do our best to tell stories in ways that generate the same emotion that we felt, as emotion is the closest you can get to actually experiencing Rowdy.

Confidence and comfort.

This expression is genuine, and it stems from a couple of real stories.

First being his development of vitiligo.

His opportunity to share his appearance with the world and simultaneously teach other kids with vitiligo how special it is to be unique.

He believedthat everybody has the right to feel confident and comfortable in their own skin, and he represented this through spreading vitiligo awareness.

His belief system was authentic, real and genuine.

The second story that his principles come from is his personality.

Since he was a puppy, he really did represent confidence in his own eccentric way.

To represent his deranged confidence, I remember a specific log he would obsess over when we were camping.

Every year we would drive up into the Cascade Mountains and stay a week without service.

And of course we would bring our dog.

There was a hidden spot where we’d swim, and Rowdy was especially fond of it for his own special reasons.

Mostly because the log would extend through the water and stick perfectly into the air, begging any dog to swim out and sink their teeth into it.

The side of this swimming hole was constructed of a gigantic pile of rocks cascading down into the water.

Sitting underneath the golden log was a couple of these rocks that gave Rowdy perfect groundwork to start his mission with.

We’d usually stay for roughly two hours, and I promise Rowdy wouldn’t take a single break.

He spent one hundred and twenty minutes fixated on this log, digging his teeth into the bark, submerging his head into the water and shaking as if he was a wolf, tearing meat from his prey in an attempt to pull the log out of the earth.

The manic confidence would shine through his dripping blood, as not one instance of adversity would stop him.

Not us trying to pry him off.

Not his gums getting cut into shreds and blood dripping from his mouth.

Not even his paws turning raw from using the rocks beneath him as leverage.

The funniest part is, he would pick up right where he left off the next year but never even made a dent.

Yet he was enamored with that log because he was confident it would eventually let loose.

We’d bring him back to the camp site, a bloody mess, listen to him whine all night in pain, then bring him back the next day to watch him do it again.

We were forced to leave him back at the camp site since there was nothing we could do to stop him from charging himself at that log the second he smelt it.

The point of these stories is to show that Rowdy’s belief of confidence and comfort isn’t simply some marketing ploy to give “White Eyed Rowdy” a catchphrase.

It’s a belief system that originated from the actual personality of our dog Rowdy and fit so perfectly into everything he did for the world.

Rowdy’s audience consists of you guys who are real, passionate and emotionally connected fans.

Not everybody reads these blog posts, but those of you who do feel something when you see his face pop up on your screen.

He gives you a unique feeling that you don’t find everywhere on social media these days, as our capitalistic society values attention for money.

Rowdy values your attention to give you something real.

He’s had quite a few new followers in the time since he passed, so if you’re just learning about his story, thank you for listening to what he has to say.

For you fans that have been following for a while now, we’ve heard a lot of requests for stories about his near death experiences.

So whether you’re a new fan or an older fan, we want to share one of those stories with you, but only for those of you who have been following him through the blog.

So White Eyed Rowdy is deciding to start an occasional newsletter that will deliver special Rowdy goodies to those of you who sincerely connect with Rowdy.

We will be posting a blog post next Friday, but his first near death experience story will be sent only through this newsletter, for the specific reason that we only want this select community of Rowdy fans reading it.

It’s a pretty good story too ;-)

If this is something you’re interested in, you can sign up at the link below: